Why Amit Shah Mentioned Lalu Yadav While Defending Waqf Bill in Lok Sabha?

Waqf Amendment Bill: During a heated debate in the Lok Sabha over the controversial Waqf Amendment Bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah invoked Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav to counter the Opposition’s criticisms. His reference to the former Bihar CM injected a political angle into the discussion, sparking sharp reactions from rival parties.

Shah accused certain political groups of spreading misinformation about the bill to secure their vote banks. He argued that Prime Minister Narendra Modi , through this proposed legislation, was fulfilling a demand previously made by Lalu Prasad Yadav, one that the Opposition had failed to address.

Smiling as he pointed towards the opposition benches, Shah said, "Lalu Prasad's wishes were not fulfilled by them, but Narendra Modi is doing it. Lalu ji had called for a stricter law."

Speaking further in the Lok Sabha, Shah contended that the new legislation might not have been necessary if the Waqf (Amendment) Act of 2013, passed by the Congress -led UPA II government just months before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, had not been enacted.

At the time, Lalu Prasad Yadav, whose RJD had initially been part of the ruling coalition before later withdrawing and extending support again, had addressed the House regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill tabled by the UPA II.

Quoting the former Bihar Chief Minister, Shah stated, "We welcome the amendment bill presented by the government. I support the statements made by ( BJP 's) Shahnawaz Hussain and others. Most of the land has been grabbed, whether government-owned or otherwise. People in the Waqf Board have sold off prime land. In Patna, apartments have been built on Dak Bungalow property. There has been extensive loot like this."

Earlier in the day, an old video of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav resurfaced online, showing him criticising the Waqf Board in Parliament.

The video, dated May 7, 2010, captures a Lok Sabha debate on the Waqf (then Wakf) Amendment Bill, 2010. In the footage, Yadav strongly condemns the Waqf Board, alleging its involvement in land-grabbing cases.

Calling for stricter regulations, Yadav said, "A very strict law should be made. All the lands have been grabbed. It’s not just agricultural land—prime properties at Dak Bangla in Patna have been turned into apartments. Bring the amendment forward… we will pass it."   

Meanwhile, Shah’s remarks led to a heated exchange, with Opposition leaders accusing the BJP of selectively referencing past statements to justify its legislative agenda. However, the Home Minister stood by his position, emphasizing that the bill aimed to address concerns Lalu Prasad Yadav himself had raised over a decade ago.